Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-03-28
BLUE RIBBONS.
The Temperance Boom in Sacramento
Last Night CT r IT. Booth


Last night the Metropolitan Theater was
crowded TO its utmost capacity to hear the
renowned lecturer in the cause of temper
ance, Richard I. Booth A half-hour be-
fore the services began the doors were
closed against the surging crowd and hum
dreds were turned away. The choir was
larger than usual, filling the entire stage.
and the choruses were appropriate and well
rendered.
Prayer was offered by the Rev. W. G..
Merrill, of the Congregational Church.
Rev. Thomas Filben, of the Central NJ.
E. Church, presided, and announced that to-
night Mr.. Booth would hold his farewell
service. 1t will be something of Jubilee,
and all who have taken the pledge and
donned the bit of blue" are expected to
be present. In order to defray the Incl
dental expense of these meetings it was
announced that an admission fee of ten
cents would be charged to the gallery and
twenty-five cents TO the lower portions of
the house. 1t was also announced that if
there were any persons DESTROYS of being
present who were unable to pay the ad-
mission they would be admitted upon their
announcing that fact at the door.
Mr.. Booth said that tonight would be, in
all probability, the last time he would ever
address a Sacramento audience, and he
hoped to be greeted with large one. 1t
would be an important meeting. Not mutu-
al-admiration meeting, but to consider how
to take care of, and keep from drink those
that had signed the pledge and were strug-
Cling to free themselves from the tempter.
He said great responsibility now lies at
the door of the Christian people of this
city. They must encourage and hold up
the hands of those
WHO ARE ENDEAvoRING TO FREE THEM
SELVES
From the clutches of the demon drink !;
who were struggling to recover what they
had lost, that of becoming again men of
standing in this community. He said two
persons-men of intellect, men of rare at
tainments, men who might aspire to any
position within the gift of the people-had
taken the pledge, and if no more was ac-
compllshed than their reformation, then
inded was he amply repaid for what he had
done.
He had given out more than 1000 blue
ribbons, nearly 700 had signed the pledge,
and he had reason to believe that nearly
all would be kept. This was enough to
cheer the heart of every man and woman
engaged in this work. II want you to
wear your blue ribbons; l want you to keep
the pledge. The rumsellers are already
saying, 'Oh, wait till Booth goes away and
we will get all our customers back. AS soon
as the glitter and glare is gone the enthusi-
asm and excitement will die cut and we
will get them all back VIII they do it?
[Cries of No, no." from all parts of the
housed have stood upon this platform,
as l have stood upon many others, and
asked you to give up the drinking habit.
You have signed the pledge; have seen
the look of determination in your eye and
heard you say, i will keep it, God helping
me- l believe men and women of Sacra-
mento regard their word of honor here as
much as they do in any other portion of
the world, and that they will keep their
pledge inviolate."
He appealed to the ladies present, to the
mothers especially, to wear the badge of
blue. Her best friend, the son of Mary,
the friend of Martha, he it is who leads US
in this fight, and every woman who loves
gentleness, who admires that which is
grand, noble and good should wear it."